The device now known as the Razer Edge has come a long way since it was first unveiled as "Project Fiona" at last year's CES. Back then, the Windows 7 tablet was permanently attached to a set of bulbous analog and button controllers that made it more of an oversized PC gaming handheld than a proper computing device. Now, the Edge is a low- to mid-range Windows 8 gaming PC that just happens to be packed into a multitouch tablet form factor.

Let's start with the specs. The Razer Edge, currently planned for release sometime this quarter, will come in two configurations. The $999 base model features an Intel Core i5 processor, Nvidia GT640M LE GPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 64GB SSD. The $1,299 Razer Edge Pro upgrades the internals to include an Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 128GB SSD (which can be expanded to 256GB at purchase time).

The Edge tablet is about twice as thick as an iPad, but it's only 25 percent heavier than Apple's ubiquitous tablet. The net effect is a device that is remarkably light for its 10.1-inch screen size and internal specs, and one that seems easy to hold with one hand while controlling it with the other. Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan told Ars that those specs were the result of a year of crowdsourcing to find out what level of power gamers wanted in a gaming PC at the $1,000 price point, and the company focused on keeping the device as thin and light as possible. That compact form factor does have one noticeable downside compared to most gaming laptops or PC towers, though: you can't open up the back to upgrade individual components as they start to become outdated.

One of the biggest selling points Razer stressed in our meeting was that the Edge wasn't trying to remake the gaming landscape on tablets by using a mobile OS like Android. This is a full Windows 8 tablet that can run any standard PC game and handle services like Steam just fine. It's also usable as a general purpose tablet, with zippy access to things like e-mail and Web browsing using the touch interface. In our hands-on tests, the tablet was more than capable of running games like Dishonored and Dirt with mid-level details at very smooth frame rates on the 1366×768 display. The back of the tablet got noticeably hot as the fans worked to clear out processor heat while running high-end games, but the effect wasn't unbearable in our quick test. This is not a scaled-down gaming computer in a tablet. It's an actual gaming computer in a tablet.

Games like Civilization can be played entirely with the multitouch screen, but for most PC games you're going to need some external controls. The buttons and analog sticks that were attached to Project Fiona a year ago have been adapted into a $249 tablet sleeve, with a full array of analog sticks and face and shoulder buttons to the side of the screen (there's even an extra shoulder button that brings up the Steam menu directly from inside games).

The buttons and joysticks felt well-made and suitably responsive in my hands, and the holster sports some rather hefty force feedback and a nice design that redirects the speaker output to point directly at your face. The main downside, besides the price, is the immense weight of the thing, which transforms the easy-to-hold tablet into a device that is uncomfortable to hold up in front of you even with a firm two-hand grip. The whole setup seems tolerable when resting on your lap, but just barely. Plugging in a standard USB gamepad is probably a more workable solution.

Enlarge/ A prototype keyboard case that will turn the Edge into more of a gaming laptop.

The Edge is also fully compatible with standard mouse and keyboard controls, either through a built-in USB slot or connected via Bluetooth. Razer was showing off a prototype case that props the tablet up in front of a gaming keyboard, making the whole thing look a lot more like a laptop, but the company isn't planning on releasing such a product until the third quarter of 2013.

Enlarge/ A $99 base gives the Edge HDMI output, transforming it into a de facto living room console.

You can also hook the Edge up to a TV using an optional $99 dock that gives the tablet HDMI output as well as extra USB slots. Tan said he envisioned this for use in dorm rooms, where people could just plug the tablet in next to the TV for group gaming, then take it with them for use as a tablet or gaming PC. When projected onto a big-screen TV, the games I saw in the demo looked a bit worse than they did on the Edge's built-in display, with noticeable jagged edges on cars and characters. Tan said he wasn't sure whether the tablet was capable of higher resolutions when displaying to an external TV rather than the built-in display.

Based on my brief time with the Edge, I could see it as a more-than-decent solution for a gamer looking for a mid-range gaming laptop that's also usable as a general tablet. Customers who already have either of those two devices, though, could probably get more bang for their buck by just buying a dedicated gadget to serve their remaining needs (though having to lug around two devices for the dual purposes is a little less convenient). As the components needed to power a decent PC gaming rig get smaller, we'd love to see this idea continue to be refined to the point where a low-cost, portable gaming PC isn't presumed to have a keyboard attached.

40 Reader Comments

This thing would make a pretty nice HTPC solution. We have a mac mini hooked up to the TV and a nexus 7 for consuming media, mostly via Plex and Netflix. Something like this is a nice combination of those two devices. An i3 with HD4000 graphics would be more than enough for such usage. Just dock it to whatever big screen you're close to and keep watching/playing.

With an Nvidia GT640M LE GPU, I would assume that it would be perfectly capable of outputting 1920x1080 resolution via HDMI for gaming on a TV. Makes me wonder if there was a weird Windows 8 multi-display setting incorrectly configured when it was docked with the TV.

This device seems like it has the potential to be a winner, especially with the capability of being docked and hooked up to an HDTV. Competition is good. Maybe it'll outsell the Surface.

Yikes. I know it's an impressive machine stuffed into such an incredibly small form factor, but that dollar figure is steep, and I guarantee once we see battery life specs, it won't look so impressive.

Dang. That is one seriously powerful tablet! I'm holding out for the Surface Pro (for work), but the Razer Edge with its GT640M and optional i7 blows every other tablet out of the water. I'm impressed.

The $999 base model features an Intel Core i5 processor, Nvidia GT640M LE GPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 64GB SSD. The $1,299 Razer Edge Pro upgrades the internals to include an Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 128GB SSD (which can be expanded to 256GB at purchase time).

As this is marketed as a gaming tablet, I'd rather see a better GPU in the upgraded model than a more powerful processor. Surely they could fit a 650M in the thermal envelope required for the upgrade to an i7. Unless the upgrade is of the funny nomenclature games and just a faster dual-core version of the same CPU.

I hate to break it to anybody interested in this thing but... If intel could just put an i5 in a tablet and get good battery life they wouldn't be messing with the whole atom line of processors. This thing is a tablet just like those duel video card laptops are portables. Add to that it is not much heavier than an ipad and I guarantee it only gets a max of 4 hours on a charge and that is not gaming.

It will be a niche device that doesn't sell well. It is like the portable playstations of old. Yes it is cool. Yes for a few scenarios and a few games it would be nice but for 1k dollars most people will get a real computer and a tablet. They will both do what they do better than this thing and will cost the same price combined.

This is what Microsoft needed to do with the Surface.I thought the Surface was cool, but to get this much more power for a little bit more money is totally worth it!

Microsoft would have been laughed out of town if they made one of these as a response to the iPad.

This is a cool niche product that was bound to happen eventually (Alienware-style maximum mobile horsepower, in tablet form), but I don't think it's got broad appeal or that its positives can outweigh the negatives. This product is bulky, heavy and almost certainly has poor battery life. For its intended market, those are totally acceptable compromises. But as a general-purpose iPad competitor, they're not.

Dang. That is one seriously powerful tablet! I'm holding out for the Surface Pro (for work), but the Razer Edge with its GT640M and optional i7 blows every other tablet out of the water. I'm impressed.

Haha yeah. Surface Pro was looking good 'til this came along. Bloody hell i5 + GT 640M is better for gaming than most Ultrabooks!

I was very interested until I saw that the side buttons were another $250 on top of the $1000. That's ridiculous. After using a wii-u I really want a full-powered, high-res tablet computer shaped like that, but $250 is way too much for a USB game controller with a custom shape.

The $999 base model features an Intel Core i5 processor, Nvidia GT640M LE GPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 64GB SSD. The $1,299 Razer Edge Pro upgrades the internals to include an Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 128GB SSD (which can be expanded to 256GB at purchase time).

As this is marketed as a gaming tablet, I'd rather see a better GPU in the upgraded model than a more powerful processor. Surely they could fit a 650M in the thermal envelope required for the upgrade to an i7. Unless the upgrade is of the funny nomenclature games and just a faster dual-core version of the same CPU.

Doubtful. i5 and i7 processors are thermally equivalent clock for clock, same with power requirements. GPUs scale up on both.

The $999 base model features an Intel Core i5 processor, Nvidia GT640M LE GPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 64GB SSD. The $1,299 Razer Edge Pro upgrades the internals to include an Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 128GB SSD (which can be expanded to 256GB at purchase time).

As this is marketed as a gaming tablet, I'd rather see a better GPU in the upgraded model than a more powerful processor. Surely they could fit a 650M in the thermal envelope required for the upgrade to an i7. Unless the upgrade is of the funny nomenclature games and just a faster dual-core version of the same CPU.

I'm in agreement that a 650M would make a better GPU for gaming, but since the resolution is so low on the tablet the 640M probably does alright for it. 1366x768 is almost exactly half the pixel count as 1920x1080.

I'm thinking battery life might have something to do with that decision too. I'm not too familiar with the 640M, but I have a 650M in my rMBP, and that thing sucks the battery down like none other while gaming.

I would like to know the screen type on the tablet. Anandtech is reporting a TN based screen which if true completely kills any interest I have in the product. I'm hoping someone at Razer just told them the wrong info.

As the components needed to power a decent PC gaming rig get smaller, we'd love to see this idea continue to be refined to the point where a low-cost, portable gaming PC isn't presumed to have a keyboard attached.

Call me crazy, but isn't one of the major advantages of a gaming pc the kb/m combo?

On of the reasons, I still game on a pc is because I can't stand using a controller for FPS. Controllers are great for driving, platformers, fighting games (basically anything where you don't have to aim), but they suck for FPS, RTS, etc.

I like my gaming pc because I have the option to use whichever is better.

I guess I really don't see the point of this device. If I want simple touch based games, I have an ipad. If I want a "serious" game I have my gaming pc and maybe next year I'll look into a steam box for playing controller based games on my tv.

The $999 base model features an Intel Core i5 processor, Nvidia GT640M LE GPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 64GB SSD. The $1,299 Razer Edge Pro upgrades the internals to include an Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 128GB SSD (which can be expanded to 256GB at purchase time).

As this is marketed as a gaming tablet, I'd rather see a better GPU in the upgraded model than a more powerful processor. Surely they could fit a 650M in the thermal envelope required for the upgrade to an i7. Unless the upgrade is of the funny nomenclature games and just a faster dual-core version of the same CPU.

I'm in agreement that a 650M would make a better GPU for gaming, but since the resolution is so low on the tablet the 640M probably does alright for it. 1366x768 is almost exactly half the pixel count as 1920x1080.

I'm thinking battery life might have something to do with that decision too. I'm not too familiar with the 640M, but I have a 650M in my rMBP, and that thing sucks the battery down like none other while gaming.

Battery capacity is sure holding back the dream for one device that hits all fronts hard. I remember some ASUS laptops where you could switch between the intel graphics and the gpu, that would be pretty slick on something like this.

I like the idea, but can't see myself buying one, if the upgrade option had been better gpu it'd be more tempting, a couple hours of gaming on a charge would be fine, I find I'm not really away from power that often, and I don't find my USB battery pack that cumbersome for travel when I want/need more than my devices can offer.

As the components needed to power a decent PC gaming rig get smaller, we'd love to see this idea continue to be refined to the point where a low-cost, portable gaming PC isn't presumed to have a keyboard attached.

Call me crazy, but isn't one of the major advantages of a gaming pc the kb/m combo?

On of the reasons, I still game on a pc is because I can't stand using a controller for FPS. Controllers are great for driving, platformers, fighting games (basically anything where you don't have to aim), but they suck for FPS, RTS, etc.

I like my gaming pc because I have the option to use whichever is better.

I guess I really don't see the point of this device. If I want simple touch based games, I have an ipad. If I want a "serious" game I have my gaming pc and maybe next year I'll look into a steam box for playing controller based games on my tv.

Great point, I have controllers for my PC but use keyboard/mouse on everything other than NES/SNES ROMS. Certainly wouldn't be playing any fps/rts on this.

Yes it's cool as hell, I'll give them that. However, I think it's going to be a novelty at best. Also I'm doubtful as to the battery life while gaming - my i7/650m gaming laptop can get 2 hours, but only if the CPU is permanently downclocked to 1.2ghz and the framerate capped to 30. Left to run at full power, it's less than 1 hour.

Yikes. I know it's an impressive machine stuffed into such an incredibly small form factor, but that dollar figure is steep, and I guarantee once we see battery life specs, it won't look so impressive.

Compared to the specs and price of Sony's Windows 8 Tablet ($1700-1800) this one seems like a bargain.

If I am going to put so much money into a computer, I want an immersive game experience - ie give me a 27" monitor. I also want to be able to do work on it. (though I suppose it has a keyboard thing per the article and probably does bluetooth keyboards and mice.) But I want a bigger screen for getting work done, too.

To the portability perspective, I have never used my iPad for immersive games, only casual ones. But on the other hand I have become more of a casual gamer over the years.

And I suppose I was negative about the iPad - and even the iPhone - before I went into the Apple Store and played with them, at least twice, before changing my mind.

But $1200 seems like a lot of money. $1740 even more so.

Maybe if the battery could do 10 hours and it were light enough to read from I would change my mind for the convenience.

$1000+ /system just to play games. That's kind of like buying a Neo Geo back in the old days.

This is an amazing hardware configuration but I'm confused about the use model.

Usability-wise, for PC games, I've always thought the best use model was a large screen, a well dimensioned cpu/gpu/memory and using the keyboard & mouse as controllers?

May be I'm missing the games that would make the Razer Edge the ideal device. Having said that, it's a cool piece of hardware. Can't wait to play with one of them at the store to get a better understanding of the use model.

I'd be lying if I said this wasn't one of the cooler things I've seen from CES so far, but I think for the amount of money you would have to shell out for the entire high-end rig I would have to pass. Hardware turnover is decently fast, and not having the option to upgrade individual components down the road is something that I don't think I could sign on for.

Initially I completely ignored this thing, but I just realized I could get this and play strategy games on it. Now I'm intrigued. $999 is a bit steep though, I could easily build a good gaming desktop for that.

Yikes. I know it's an impressive machine stuffed into such an incredibly small form factor, but that dollar figure is steep, and I guarantee once we see battery life specs, it won't look so impressive.

You don't need the controller and this will more likely be used as any other tablet. I'm also fairly sure you could swap out the SSD yourself. This is just a tablet PC. I see this as just a smaller form factor laptop.

Initially I completely ignored this thing, but I just realized I could get this and play strategy games on it. Now I'm intrigued. $999 is a bit steep though, I could easily build a good gaming desktop for that.

Exactly. I'm a big RTS gamer. I'm sooo getting this thing. Battery life will not matter to me since I will use it on long road trips plugged into my truck's AC adapter or at home or work where I will have access to power as well. Some of the comments here seem to think this thing is supposed to be used like a GameBoy or some other portable gaming console. This thing is still a PC disguised as a tablet. That's why it has a PC price tag.

I think that the Razer Edge is a great idea for a product, but as you said, it's a mid-range gaming laptop packed into a tablet, but not at a mid-range price. I think I would still rather have a fully sized laptop, or even desktop PC, to play games on.

Kyle Orland / Kyle is the Senior Gaming Editor at Ars Technica, specializing in video game hardware and software. He has journalism and computer science degrees from University of Maryland. He is based in Pittsburgh, PA.